


Where the Red Began

by Flabergausted4858



Series: The Red in her Ledger [1]
Category: Black Widow (Movie 2020), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Kid Natasha Romanov, Natasha Romanov Has Issues, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, POV Natasha Romanov, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Lives, Past Torture, Past Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:15:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26054047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flabergausted4858/pseuds/Flabergausted4858
Summary: Natasha sacrifices herself to save the universe and Clint. To clear the red in her ledger. But how did the red get in her ledger. We know how her life ended, but how did it began?
Relationships: Natasha Romanov & Alexei Shostakov | Alexi Shostakov, Natasha Romanov & Melina Vostokoff, Yelena Belova & Natasha Romanov
Series: The Red in her Ledger [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891339
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	1. how it all began

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic. I appreciate the constructive criticism. Plzz be nice. I think Natasha is the most interesting in the MCU, so I will try to do her justice. Please give suggesting for the story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's life before her parents deaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natasha never knew her parents, and even though she doesn't remember this part, the story is still from mostly Natasha's perspective, so she probably wouldn't have known there names.

“Let me go, It’s okay,” Natasha said as she hung between life and death. She kick off the edge of the cliff and let her partner’s, he best friend’s, her brother’s hand go and fell to her death. As she was falling she thought about all the moments in her life that got her here. She though about her “childhood” the horrors and pain it entailed. Ready to end it, the archer found her and gave her a way out. The best decision she ever made. She turned the pain into power and started to “clear” her ledger. She became a top spy at S.H.I.E.L.D. and became part of the Barton family. In 2012 she became and Avenger and for the first time in her life she felt like she belonged. Then Thanos came and she lost it all. Now she was going to get it all back, for the small price of her life. 

To find out she got here, let’s start at the beginning 

——————————————————————————————

November 22, 1984  
A baby girl was born in Stalingrad, Russia. She was born to a middle class family who was hiding out in Stalingrad. Because of their last name and their possible affiliation to the former royal family they were in danger of being killed by the KGB. Her mother work as a nurse in the local hospital, and her father was a soldier. She had her mother’s fiery red hair and her father’s bright green eyes. Their couple couldn’t be more happy. Their daughter was more beautiful than they imagined. For the next two years they would live in bliss. Their daughter was growing up to be highly intelligent and active. Even at a young age she was excelling at everything she did. 

December 31, 1986  
The small family was celebrating Christmas in their small apartment in Stalingrad. The mother was humming in the kitchen making dinner, while her husband and daughter were laughing and playing a game in the living room. The day seemed perfect. The cold Russian winter was in full effect outside. The building was old and couldn’t be heated well so I was moderately cold inside. The building was not up to and fire codes or safety regulations. But none of these problems seemed to cross the tenants minds. The Romanova family was enjoying the day oblivious of the events occurring below. 

A black van pulled up in front of the apartment building. One of the two men step out. Both men dressed in black with masks covering their faces. The man threw an explosive at the building. The explosive blew up a section of the building and catching fire to the rest of it.

The family was pulled from their peaceful dinner by the sounds of screams. The open the door leading to the hallway. He saw large flames engulfing the building. They were trapped. He ran to the window and opened it. He pulled his wife and daughter and grabbed the sheets. He created a rope with sheets and tied his wife who was now holding their sobbing daughter in her hands and push them out the window. He carefully lowered them out the window. He turned back to the room, trying to figure out how he should get out as the flames neared. There was no way out and the flames soon engulfed him. HIs wife outside screamed for him. 

At a distance a man was approaching him carrying a gun. She noticed and told her daughter to run and hide. The red hair girl was sobbing saying she didn’t want too. She begged her daughter too, but the young girls was stubborn and refused. At the last moment the mother pushed her aside before she was shot in the head and fell to the ground lifeless. The girl didn’t cry, instead she stared at her mother shocked, confused, and shaken. Her mother’s red hair blended in with the pool of blood forming around her head. The mother’s eyes still opening conveying the fear she felt for her daughter in her last moments of life. Even in death her mother look beautiful. In the matter of a few minutes Natasha lost both of her parents. The girl was scared and ran into a bush to hide. 

“Where’s the girl?” The first man asked.

“I dunno, she was just here,” The second man replied.

“She was just here,” The first man said.

“We aren’t getting paid to take her out, just the parents. The girl is too young to remember anything anyway,” The second man justified.

“What’s with the people anyways, why’d they want them dead. I wondered what they did?” The first man said.

“I doesn’t matter what they did or didn’t do. They could have done nothing just been born with the wrong name. C’mon let’s leave before the authorities decide to arrive.”

The two man ran back to their van and ran back rather hastily. Just as they were leaving the fire department was arriving, and a few survivors were emerging. Natalia ran out of her hiding spot to her mother.

“Mama! Mama! Wake up! Mama!”

“Little girl,” a fire fighter said, “Get off of her she is gone?”

“She’s not gone, she right here!”

“Her body is, she has moved on.”

“Where has she gone?”

“Get over here,” another firefighter pushed her out of the way, “Stay out of the way we are working.”

Natalia was pushed to the side. She saw the firefighters spraying the flames, slowing concurring them. She saw paramedics treating the survivors, and police questioning as to what had happened. Natalia sat there in the cold, shivering too tired to cry or feel anything, as she fell asleep in the snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, what do you think of the first chapter. If you want me to add more about Natasha's life about her parents or make this more detailed comment it below. I will use you suggests and even go back in and change parts from previous chapters. 
> 
> Also English is not my first language. My English teacher wanted us to write stories like this to improve our English. So if you find something wrong or have suggested about how I can make my writing more interesting, more descriptive, more clear, or just better overall, please comment it down below.


	2. the angel of death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not going to put any Russian or other languages in the fanfic for now. If you guys think that would make the story better, then let me know. 
> 
> Also if you find any mistakes or want to make corrections, then comment those.

Natasha was shaken awake by a paramedic, “Excuse me little one, I need to check to see if you are alright.” 

Natasha sat up freezing, from the snow she was lying on. She followed the paramedic over to the ambulance. And another person came over to help treat her cuts. 

“Hi, I have been told by a few other people that you are little Natalia,” a police officer said, “Is that true?”

“Yes,” Natalia replied tiredly.

“What’s is your full name?” 

“Natalia Alianovna Romanova”

“Do you know where your parents are?”

Natalia point to her mother who was lined up with the other bodies and her father who was lying dead on the other side. “That’s too bad,” the officer said.

She stared at him blankly, her head head was killing her, and she felt she would pass out from exhaustion. The officer left her side. She could hear in the distance another officer confirming the information she had given. 

“Hi,” another officer said, “I am sorry about your parents. We have confirmed who you are, so that means you can leave now?”

“And go where?” Little Natalia asked.

“To an orphanage, not far from here.”

“Why?”

“Well, honey, because your parents are dead.”

Dead. This was her first encounter with death, but this most certainly would not be her last.

An officer came to take her into the car, and Natalia glance back at the other people. Olga, and older lady who used to bake cookies for her all the time. A boy a little older than her who played with her once or twice. A college student, a single mother and daughter, and a few other people. This would be the last time she ever saw these people, and these people would always wonder what happened too little Natalia. Their answer would arrive in 2014, when Natasha dumped all of S.H.I.E.l.L.D. and HYDRA’s files onto the internet. With a final look she stepped into the car a was driven away. Years latter she would strain her mind for any memory, but Natalia being too young would never remember any of this. She would never remember her parents, the fire, or the orphanage. Her earliest memories would be at the Red Room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short. I didn't feel like this scene needed to be long since it isn't really vital to the story. As usually if you want me to make this longer, comment it down below. If you want me to add some scenes comment it down below. Tell me what you think, I appreciate the constructive criticism.


	3. the entrance to hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The orphanage and meeting General Dreykov

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not much to this chapter

“Hi, I am with the KBG. We have been alerted of an explosion in this area. I would like you to catch me up to speed in what happened here?” The man said, flashing a badge at the officer.

“Okay, well umm, It is kind of unclear. Umm, some eye witnesses said that there was two man that drove up in a black van, I dunno it was dark, so that can’t really be confirmed. Umm, one is said to have throw an explosive at the building.” He said pointing at the spot, “Then the building caught on fire, we have 56 casualties,” He said pointing at the line of bodies.

“Do we have IDs?”

“Some of them, yeah”

“Do we have a motive or an intended target?”

“Uh, yeah we think so. So this guy and his wife we thought to be it.”

“Who are they?”  
“He was a soldier and she was a nurse”

“Do we know why they would be targeted?”

“No, but there daughter was just taken to an orphanage.”

This took the KGB officer back. Based on their intel, the Romanovas didn’t appear to have a daughter, this could be bad. “Daughter? How old is she? Does she now anything?”

“I doubt it, the girl is like two or something, but you could go and ask her”

“Ok, thank you for your time,” the KGB officer step aways, snapped pictures of the Romanovas and drove away.

—————————————————————————

“Are they dead?” General Dreykov asked.

“Yes, but it appears their daughter is very much alive?”

“Daughter?”

“Yes Natalia Alianovna Romanova,” He said handing him a file about her.

“Hmm, and impressive girl. Above average intellect and physical ability. Appears she has desirable traits too. She fits the profile.”

“Sir, profile? Profie, for what?”

“Not your concern, agent. Back to work.”

“Yes sir,” The agent said.

The general then left to go collect Natalia. 

——————————————————————

“Hello, I heard a young girl came recently, Natalia?”

“Yes, she did,” a women smiled, “Yeah, poor child, her parents recently died in that horrible fire. Poor girl.”

“Yes, well I am General Dreykov, I am her on the behalf of the Soviet Union. We have recently found a family member who is more than willing to take care of young Natalia.”

“Oh, gosh. That is wonderful. You know most of these girls never leave this place. Oh, isn’t that lovely. Oh, I will take your to Ms. Romanova right away.”

_______________________________________________

Natasha was sitting in the dining hall, eating here dinner, when one of the staff member came up to her. “Hi Natalia, I have some great new for you. You see this gentleman, his name is General Dreykov, well you see he has found your family. Isn’t that great! Oh, why don’t you go with him and pack your stuff. Cmon.”

Natalia nodded silent and went to the room she was currently staying in. “Where are we going, sir?” Young Natalia asked.

“Moscow. Have you ever been, girl?” The general replied.

Natalia shook her head.

“Wonderful, you’ll get to she the city for the first time.”

Natasha nodded her head again. She was young, two years old, but she was smart, and this man was not a good person. Wherever he was taking her to, she would never leave. Natalia was to exhausted from the days previous events to be scared. She grabbed a few clothes and a ring (it was her mother’s wedding ring) and left. For the next two decades she would be a soviet asset. Meeting General Dreykov would be her earliest memory and it would also be one of her worst.


	4. the school of lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's arrival at the Red Room

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to create the Red Room using the comics and the snippets we got from the movies. Tell me what you think.

“Wake up girl!” Dreykov barked.

Natalia stirred awake. She sat up and saw a school like building. The Russia winter howling outside. The building look almost like a prison. It was old and gray. High walls surrounded the building, with guards stationed around the exits. Thick doors covered all the exits and you could hear a shocked noise coming from the electric fence positioned at the top of the concrete wall. In the front of the “school” as sign read Bolshi Primary School of Ballet.

“Am I going to be a ballerina,” the redhead girl asked.

“Yes, among other things,” the general replied, “you are going to be the very best.”

“The very best?” Natalia said peeking up.

“Yes, the best,” he said grabbing the Natalia. He dragged her into the building. While his soldier accompanied them. The sun was setting over the horizon. When they entered the building. There was a staircase, and behind the stair case was older girls practicing ballet. 

“Madame B,” the general said walking over to a middle age women, with a stern face, “I’ve brought another one for you to train.”

Madame be looked down at Natalia with disdain and asked, “who is she?”

“Natalia Alianovna Romanova”

“Do you think it is wise bring this child here, especially considering who her parent where, enemies of the state.”

“She is too young to remember them, she shows a lot of promise. And what is a better way to root out disloyalty.”

“Fine, her year isn’t full yet, in the next few months I will expect more girls to meet the number of 28.”

“28 girls shouldn’t be difficult”

“Finding 28 girls isn’t difficult. Finding 28 girls with promise can prove to be”

“I will pick the girls I feel will be useful to the state”

“I am sure, although most girls don’t make it through the program.”

“Hopeful this group will be different the state could always use more.”

“I agree, comarade. You don’t think this girl will be as unruly as her parents?”

“With me she has been extremely obedient. If not, you can’t remove it. That’s one of the points of training them young.”

“Thank you, General, I am sure you are rather busy. I will get her ready.”

With that the General left and Natalia was left standing in the entry way with Madame B. 

“Come girl,” this way. Madame pointed out various rooms. “The girls are at dinner.” She pointed out classrooms, training room, gyms, and other things. Finally they reached the top of the building where the dormitories where. “You will be in the room with the other girls you age. Here is you bed. Your uniform is in the draws underneath. The schedule is as follows: 5 am you will wake up, 5:10 is practical lessons, 6 is martial arts, 7 is breakfast, 7:15 is languages, 8 is weapons training, 9 is math and problem solving, 10 is science, 11 is acrobatic, 12 pm is a lesson period. This will vary depending on what it is felt you should learn, 1 is stretch or warm up, 1:15 is ballet, 3 is field training, 5 is specialized work period. Until the age of 6 you will be trying every kind of special, after that we will divide you based upon your girl. 7 pm is history, government, and politics, 8 is dinner, 8:15 is a period for homework and skill building, bedtime is from 10 to 11. Understood. Today get adjusted tomorrow you’d training will begin. To pick up fluency and culture the languages the lessons are taught are switched every 6 months. If you fall behind in you language class. Six months later you will fall behind in everything. Since you are younger I will be easier.”

Schedule  
5:00 am wake up  
5:10 practical lessons  
6:00 martial arts/combat training  
7:00 breakfast  
7:15 languages  
8:00 weapons training  
9:00 math/problem solving  
10:00 science  
11:00 acrobatics  
12:00 pm changing lesson period  
1:00 stretch/warm up  
1:15 ballet  
3:00 field training  
5:00 specialized work period  
7:00 history/government/politics  
8:00 dinner  
8:15 skill building/homework  
10-11 bedtime

Natalia to a look around her surroundings the room was gray and bland. It looks very old there were 4 rows of 7 beds, 2 along each of the walls, and 2 back to bed in the middle of the room. There was large concrete pillars in the center and the dim lights flickered often. Only half the beds look like they were current being used, the two rows closest to the door. 

“Change into to your uniform,” Madame B said grabbing her bag,” you won’t be need thing junk. Meet me in the hallway when you are done.”

Natalia opens her drawing a found different uniforms; formal uniform, regular uniform, ballet uniform, gym uniform, etc. She found the regular uniform and put it on. She took her mother’s wedding g ring out from where she had it, and look for a place to hide it. She pulled up part of the floor board under her bed and grabbed her a box and place the ring inside, then putting it under the floor board. She stepped out of the hallway where Madame B was waiting and followed her as she made her way down the hallway. “General Dreykov, who brought you here, is the head of department X, and covert program within the KGB. Due to the success of the winter soldier, Professor Gregor Pchelinstov was task with creating a program similar. Comrade Pchelinstov is the leader in the field of imprinting people with almost frabric ated memories. You are in the red room, and will be training in the black widow program for now, not everyone will become a black widow, only the best girls from the surviving become black widows. You will received biochemical enhancements similar to the super soldier serum used on Captain America. Dr. Lyudmila Kudrin is the head biochemist here.” 

Natalia nodded her head, but didn’t understand what she was saying. Her head was beginning to hurt, she was starving and exhausted. 

“As of now we are finishing up the first and most likely last student of the Wolf Spider Ops Program. Niko Constantin. I am Madame B and will be training you most of the time. Right now Dr. Kudrin is going to examine you.” Madame B said stopping at a door. 

Natalia pushes the open and entered. 

“Hello, I am Dr. Lyudmila Kudrin, welcome to the Red Room. You must be Natalia the new recruit. Today I am going to perform a serious of physical and mental exams.” The doctor had Natalia do serious of physical exercises, written tests, oral exams, eyes tests, hearing tests, physical exam, analyzed her DNA, and others. Finally after hours of examinations she concluded her tests.

“ I am going to talk to Madame B, follow me.” She then went to get Madame B navigating through the hallways, until arriving outside her office. “Wait here.”

The doctor stepped in the office, while Natalia strained to her the conversation through the cheap door. 

“She is an excellent candidate, meets all the test, even exceeds them. Analyzing her DNA she should have no health complication later, and is an excellent candidate for enhancement.”

“Good. Give her some food and rest.”

She heard the Doctor approach the door and stepped back straightening herself out. The doctor grabbed her and grabbed a serving of oatmeal from the dining hall and said, “eat, quickly I don’t have all day.”

Natalia was starving and inhaled the food. After the doctor took her to the dormitory.  
“Melina,” the doctor called, “this is Natalia. Natalia this is Melina she is an older girl, today is her day to help with the younger girls.”

“Come on, time for bed,” Melina said.

As Melina was helping the 14 girls get to bed Natalia asked, “what is this place?”

“You new home. It is best not to ask questions. Nobody cares who you are as long as you are good. Otherwise your blood will just be add to the red of the Red Room. That is the best advice I can give you. No get to bed,” Melina advised.

Melina handcuffed the girls to the bed and shut off the light, leaving the girls in the dark room. As Natalia drifted off to sleep she dreamed of ballerinas and what she might one day become. She didn’t understand that this wasn’t a ballet school and she wouldn’t be a ballerina. 

——————————————————————— 

By the time Natalia was four her class consisted of 28 girls:  
Agnia Turgeneva  
Alexandra Ivanova  
Anastasia Smirnova  
Anya Preobrazhenskya  
Doroteya Yanontova  
Ekaterina Chernyshevskya  
Eva Kuznetsova  
Katerina Oblonskya  
Lara Goncharova  
Lyudmila Petrova  
Mara Sidorova  
Marianna Volkova  
Nadenka Fedorova  
Nina Popova  
Sasha Semenova  
Sonechka Mikhailova  
Svetlana Egorova  
Tamara Lebedeva  
Tanya Golubeva  
Tatianna Vasilieva  
Darya Nikolaeva  
Viveca Morozoca  
Vtadlena Orlova  
Yana Sokolova  
Yasemin Palishcheva  
Zsofia Nikitina  
Natalia Romanova  
Ying Lui

Ying Lui was the last girl to arrive, and unlike the other girls, she was dragged in kicking and screaming barely able to speak Russian. After she met the doctor she calmed down a lot a seemed different. 

Before Ying the girls loosely followed the schedule given to Natalia on the first day, but the January after Natalia turned four the real training began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see? I snuck in Ying Lui from the comics. I am not going to focus on her and she is not going to have the same story from the comics, but I felt she should get to cameo in the story. 
> 
> Also Melina got a cameo. In the Black Widow trailer and from what I learned Melina and Natasha are going to be close and have some sort of mother daughter relationship, so this is laying the foundation. The rest of Natasha's makeshift family will be getting introduced in the chapters to come, so stay tuned.
> 
> Also the other girls names in Natasha's class have insight on how their personalities will play out in the story. They also go into determining who lives and who dies.


	5. the training begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The official, grueling training of the Red Room begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is how I imagine the Red Room curriculum to be if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

5:00 am:  
“Up girls,” Madame B yelled as she unlocked the girls cuffs, “today you real training begins. All of you better be downstairs in 10 minutes for Practical Lessons.”

All the girls scrambled to get dressed, brushed their teeth, and make their bed. Even thought they were all four they acted a lot older than four. Agnia was precise about everything she did, even getting dressed and looked perfect unlike the other girls, who were disoriented. Anastasia was the first one out the door, and the only one who was calm. Marianna didn’t want to get up and was stubbornly sleeping, but eventually dragged herself out by the other yelling at her. All the girls where downstairs in 10 minutes, except Marianna and Zsofia, who always was a little slower than the others. When the two girls arrive late they were both whipped and them the lessons began. 

“Welcome to your official formal training. Most of you girls will not make it through the program, but the ones that do, will be the very best and a national treasure. If you make it out or not all of you girls have the highest honor, being able to serve the state. Before you lessons where in Russian, but now for the next six months all your lessons where be held in English. Everything you say will be in English. If you say anything not in English, unless spoken to in a different t language, you be suffer the consequences of disobedience. Understood. Now we shall begin practical lessons for today: learning about the Soviet Union and it’s ideals.”

For the next 50 minutes the girls learned about the country that they would live and eventually die for. After that was martial arts.

“Martial Arts, there are an variety of Martial arts you will be studying: Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido, Judo, Hapkido, Kung fu, Capoeria, Kraft maga, Tate kwon do, Tai chi. Today we will be observing to older girls as they train in the various styles. Tomorrow you will begin your combat training. Follow me.”

As they went to the various room and watch the rooms, Natasha watched intently picking up how they held themselves, their stance, there motions, there fluidity, there patterns, and analyzing the fight.

After that the girls funnel into the dining hall for breakfast, and then English class where they were watch a movie today. The girls were buzzing with excitement because they had never watch a movie before. 

They had weapons training next. “The weapons we train you to used should not be crutch that you lean on, but rather an extension of your body. You will be trained in every type of weapon there is, but the most fundamental is the gun. Today all of you will get your first chance to hold a gun. You will line up, shoot 3 times, and let the next girl go. Ready.”

Agnia went first, shooting as straight as she could hitting the target, but not able to hit the center. Alexandra went next but was only able to hit the target once. Anastasia did better than Agnia but not by much. Anya did about as well as Agnia and Anastasia. Doroteya missed the target all 3 shots but her shots we close to the target. Ekaterina hit the target twice close to the center, but missed her last shot. Eva hit the target but none of her shot we close to the center. Katerina only hit the target in her second shot. Lara missed completely not even shorting close to the target. Lyudmila hit the target once close to the center, once not close to the center, and one completely missing. Mara hit the target almost reaching the center her first two times and her third a few centimeters from dead center. Madame B look please with Mara. Marianna didn’t even try to hit the target. Nadenka missed the target but came close. Nina hit the target once. Sasha hit the red section in the target. Sonechka also did as well as Sasha. Svetlana missed. Tamara also missed. Tatianna hit the dead center twice and came close once. Madame B was beaming with pride. Darya was a few inches to the center, but her last shot her hand slip and it hit the edge. Viveca did a good compare to the other girls. Vtadlena and Yana missed. Yasemin hit the center once and came close the other two times. Ying tried but her shots were off some. Zsofia completely missed and happen to do worse than everyone else. 

Finally it was Natalia’s turned. She walked forward and took the gun from Madame B. She stood in the stance she saw the older girls once stand in, and locked her eyes on the target. She lift up her arms and pulled the trigger. Once, two, three, her gaze did not leave the target. All three bullet hit the dead center. Each hitting the exact same spot, going right through each other.

Madame B, look extremely please. “This girls is what you what you want to strive for, Absolute perfection. Well done Natalia, I am proud of you,” Madame B beamed, “some of you did good, and some of you need a lot of work. Regardless of where you are today, hard work can get you to the level of perfect Natalia displayed today. You are dismissed.”

All the girls shuffled to math, while Mara glared at Natasha. 

“Red over here thinks she’s perfect,” Mara spat, “it is only a matter of time before your eliminated. I don’t think you have what it takes.”

“I don’t think you have what it take,” Natalia retorted and the girls enter mathematics. Then was science, and the acrobatics. 

“Acrobatics, will be helpful for you missions. It will give you a level of agility and ability other operatives will not have. Ultimately it will give you an upper hand against most of the opponents you will encounter. Today we will start with learning a simple forward roll.”

Unlike the shooting Natalia wasn’t good at gymnastics, she wasn’t bad, but she certainly wasn’t good. She was okay. Mara seemed to be loving this, but Natalia was focusing on herself and trying to ignore Mara. 

After that was random lesson period, where they learned how to pick a lock. Darya picked the locked the fastest, followed by Ying, Anastasia, then Natalia coming a few seconds before Mara. This seemed to feel Mara’s anger more.

Then they were moving into the time to do ballet. They had experience some ballet before hands but not this kind of training. Natalia was excited she loved ballet. She was super excited when changing into her leotard and listening diligently went Madame B was explaining how to pull their in a bun. After that they warmed up. Today the girls were dancing with the year above. They followed along with their stretches and lined up on the bar. Because there was two classes today they have to move two bars into the middle of the room. Today was simple learning the different feet positions and arm positions. 

Natalia followed diligently. They move on to combinations and Natalia nailed each combination first try. After two hours when all the girls were exhausted Natalia was still standing tall loving every minute pushing through the pain. Natalia was flexible and had a good rhythm. She was better than all the other girls even the older girls.

After this all the girls were exhausted but they still had field training. All the girl dragged themselves outside. “Girls, this is the most important part of you day. Field training will consist of skills you will used on missions and practice missions. Today we will start by running. You have 2 hours to run 5 miles around the course. Go.”

The girls started running. A thick layer of snow covered the ground. It was way below freezing and this was going to be difficult. They started run laps around the track. The runners from fastest to slowest were: Agnia, Anastasia, Anya, Natalia, Eva, Sasha, Darya, Viveca, Yasemin, Yana, Mara, Ekaterina, Marianna, Sonechka, Tanya, Doroteya, Aleandra, Lyudmila, Nina, Katerina, Tamara, Nadenka, Tatianna, Vtadlena, Svetlana, Lara, Ying, and Zsofia.

Natalia finished after about an hour she wait with Agnia, Anastasia, and Anya. They we all trying to catch their breath and after they cooled down they were trying to stay were. After an hour all the girls were mostly done. Some of the other girls were almost done. At this point there girls were beyond exhausted and starving , but the day wasn’t over. A lot of girls were going to have a lot of trouble getting through the day. Now was a specialized work period. Madame B could tell there were girls that were going to collapse. 

“Girls, now this would be the point we’re you would have a specialized work period to work of very specialized skills, but seeing how tried you are I am going to allow you to recuperate, slowly over time you won’t need this time, but for now you can do that. Any girls who are not tired may practice any skills they wish. Some of you desperately need the practice. 

All the girls were going inside, when Madame B grabbed Natasha by the arm. “Natalia, are you tired?” The red head shook her head. “Good, you are going to train with Melena Vostokoff. You have a lot of promise, the higher ups will see this too, don’t disappoint.” Natalia nodded her head and followed Madame B inside.

“Melena, this is Natalia. Her class started formal training today. Natalia shows a lot of promise. I would like you to work with here today.”

“Yes, Madame,” Melena said. Madame B then turned and left.

“You must be something real special, because Madame B never does this. I am assuming you don’t know much of anything, so let’s start with basic combat training.”

Melena then proceeded to show her basic fighting stances and positions

“Good. Madame was right you have a lot of potential,” Melina commented.

Natasha stayed silent. Never talk unless being talked to. Never. No matter what. 

“I am impressed, and I am never impressed. You’ll graduate, be a treasure to the nation.”

Natalia nodded her head. When she looked at Melina she saw a small smile on her face. Natalia was more observant than the other girl. More aware. A lot of the other girls thought they were at a school, a ballet school. She knew this wasn’t a school, it was a prison. They thought they would become ballerinas for the Bolshi Theatre. She knew better. They assumed they were people. They were not, at least not to the Red Room. Not to the KGB. And not to Russia. She was not a person, she was a weapon. Nothing more, nothing less. She was smart and she knew it, but she wished she was as ignorant as the other girls. To pretend to be a person for a little while longer. At the same time she was grateful, one by one the shock would come and they would have to figure out how to survive. Natalia knew how to survive, she had to be the best. She would be the best. She would be better than every girl before her, every girl with her, and every girl after. She would be the only Black Widow the world knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? Do you think this training is appropriate or realistic to her expertise shown in the movies. Also I like the idea of Natasha being better than the other girls, because she gets on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar, and she is primarily known as the Black Widow, even though there are other black widows. So I am guessing she is just the best out of them.


	6. training to be perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha trains and prepares for the exams.

Despite being four years old. The training slowly intensified. Most of the girls, got better and began to realize the truth, the were being trained to be killers. She continued to train with Melina and Melina began to open up slowly to her, they weren’t friends, but Melina didn’t hate her. Melina respect her hard work and dedication, and Natasha respect her. Melina wanted Natasha to succeed, but they were professionals. Both Natasha and Melina knew not to form attachments. Melina was 12 years and she learned over the years not to get attached, never the less, they were forming some sort of relationship.

As the training continued everyone improved, but a different rates. Natalia improve faster than everyone else. She has private training with Melina, was observant, smart, and a quick learner. Every spare moment Natalia spends training and learning. Madame B read the girls a story in English class, it was about a person who ran so fast the, horrors couldn’t catch them. They out run, the horrors of the past and present, only looking to the future. The story didn’t make much sense, but always keeping busy to not focus on her shit life seemed to work. The more she spent training and becoming better, the more hope she had. Hope. Hope is dangerous. She knows she shouldn’t get her hope up but she does. She hopes to be the best. She hopes to leave the Red Room. She hope to be more than a trained killer. 

While Natalia’s progress was exponential, the other girls were not. Yes, they were improving, but not like Natasha, as the next two years progressed, Natasha would rise to be the best in the class, and as time passed the difference between her and the second best girls widened. Everyone notice. The trainers took pride, and the officer of the KGB would know of her reputation. The interest in her grew. She was the most promising candidate the Red Room had produced. While, the trainer had taken pleasure to Natalia’s talent, the girls did not. Natalia was becoming better than the older girls. A lot were jealous, some were scared. Everyone wanted to be the best, the best meant they got to live. All children want to live. While they were not treated as children they were children. They were little girls.

Natalia felt like she was drowning. She saw no light at the end of the tunnel. The longer she spent at the Red Room the more hope she would lose, she tried to have hope. She knew she shouldn’t, but she needed something to hold onto, anything. She was isolated from the rest of the girls. She had nothing no meaningful connections her life, all she had was hope for the future. A future, something she most likely wouldn’t have, but she hoped. 

Beginning of year 3  
(Year 3 is when the girls are six years old. The years start in January. Year 1 was age 4. Year 2 was age 5.)

At the beginning of year 3 or the end of year 2, depending on how you look at it, began the beginning of a series of annual exams. They were going to be tested in every class, and the days leading up to the exams, no classes were in session to give the girls time to prepare.

“Again Natalia,” Melina groaned frustrated.

“I am already the best,” She replied, “I don’t need to do this.”

“You want to the best Black Widow every, right?” Melina questioned.

“I never said that,” Natalia shot back.

“You didn’t need to,” Melina paused, “You can she it in your eyes and in how hard you work. You work harder than everybody here. You want to be the best.”

“I have nothing else to do,” Natalia replied.

“You could take a moment to breathe. Nobody is perfect. You’ll break, if you put too much pressure on yourself.”

“I won’t break. I am unbreakable. I thrive under pressure. Madame B said I was made of marble.”

“Everyone can break, we all just have different breaking points. If you want to be the best I will help you. Repeat this exercise, don’t settle for anything less than perfection. You will be the best in the world.”

Natalia looked curiously at Melina, “Why would you help me?”

Melina looked at the red head a replied, “You have a light in you. It allows you to work harder than everyone one else. I give you motivation. I gives you hope. Hope is dangerous, but also it is refreshing. You need to be careful. I am never going to be the best. I’ve accepted that. No matter how hard I work, I will never be the best, I a great, but not the best. If I can’t be the best, I want you to be the best. I want you to best everything, I can’t be. Something about you, it makes me want to help you.”

Natalia nodded her head. In this moment Natalia and Melina became friends. They would go on to consider one another family. For the first time in both the girls lives, they were not alone. They had each other. While they weren’t much, it was something. Something was better than nothing.

Natalia straightened her self out and began again. She practice until she was perfect. Until she was better than every other girl in the Red Room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there was a bit of a time jump. If you are interested in a scene that happen during the time jump please comment below the scene that you would like to see. I love suggests so make them. 
> 
> Also more of a relationship with Melina.


	7. exam results

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The exam results from the last chapter. This chapter is kinda of boring, but an introduction to the other girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The girls will maintain the same personality throughout the series. If you look careful at the results you can see who will make it, and when the other girls will be eliminated.

“The result from our exams our post,” said Anya.

“Where are they?” Natalia asked, as the other girls were getting up to go she them.

“On the door,” Anya replied.

Natalia got up and went to the door. She read as follows:

Practical Lessons  
1\. Natalia   
2\. Agnia  
3\. Anya   
4\. Mara  
5\. Ying   
6\. Anastasia   
7\. Sasha   
8\. Eva   
9\. Darya  
10\. Viveca  
11\. Vtadlena  
12\. Yasemin  
13\. Marianna  
14\. Ekaterina  
15\. Sonechka   
16\. Tanya  
17\. Doroteya  
18\. Alexandra  
19\. Lyudmila  
20\. Nina  
21\. Tamara  
22\. Katerina  
23\. Tatianna  
24\. Nadenka  
25\. Yana  
26\. Svetlana  
27\. Lara  
28\. Zsofia

Martial Arts/Combat Training  
1\. Natalia   
2\. Anya   
3\. Eva  
4\. Mara  
5\. Sasha  
6\. Agnia  
7\. Anastasia   
8\. Darya  
9\. Viveca  
10\. Vtadlena  
11\. Yasemin  
12\. Marianna  
13\. Ekaterina  
14\. Sonechka   
15\. Tanya  
16\. Doroteya  
17\. Alexandra  
18\. Lyudmila  
19\. Nina  
20\. Tamara  
21\. Katerina  
22\. Tatianna  
23\. Nadenka  
24\. Yana  
25\. Svetlana  
26\. Lara  
27\. Zsofia  
28\. Ying 

Languages  
1\. Natalia  
2\. Ying  
3\. Yasemin  
4\. Viveca  
5\. Darya  
6\. Sasha  
7\. Eva  
8\. Anya  
9\. Anastasia  
10\. Aleandra  
11\. Agnia  
12\. Nadenka  
13\. Svetlana  
14\. Ekaterina  
15\. Yana  
16\. Tamara  
17\. Zsofia  
18\. Katerina  
19\. Marianna  
20\. Lara  
21\. Doroteya  
22\. Nina  
23\. Lyudmila  
24\. Tatianna  
25\. Mara  
26\. Sonechka  
27\. Tanya  
28\. Vtadlena

Weapons Training  
1\. Natalia   
2\. Ekaterina   
3\. Anya  
4\. Darya  
5\. Viveca  
6\. Yasemin  
7\. Sasha  
8\. Agnia  
9\. Mara  
10\. Eva  
11\. Marianna  
12\. Anastasia   
13\. Lara  
14\. Yana  
15\. Lyudmila  
16\. Sonechka  
17\. Zsofia  
18\. Aleandra  
19\. Vtadlena  
20\. Katerina  
21\. Doroteya  
22\. Ying  
23\. Tamara  
24\. Tanya  
25\. Tatianna  
26\. Nina  
27\. Nadenka   
28\. Svetlana

Math/Problem Solving   
1\. Ying  
2\. Natalia  
3\. Tamara  
4\. Agnia  
5\. Tanya  
6\. Eva  
7\. Tatianna  
8\. Yana  
9\. Lyudmila  
10\. Nina  
11\. Anya  
12\. Zsofia  
13\. Ekaterina  
14\. Lara  
15\. Doroteya  
16\. Mara  
17\. Nadenka  
18\. Svetlana  
19\. Darya  
20\. Sonechka  
21\. Vtadlena  
22\. Yasemin  
23\. Katerina  
24\. Sasha  
25\. Viveca  
26\. Aleandra  
27\. Anastasia  
28\. Marianna

Science  
1\. Ying  
2\. Lara  
3\. Natalia  
4\. Tanya  
5\. Marianna  
6\. Darya  
7\. Vtadlena  
8\. Anya  
9\. Eva  
10\. Anastasia  
11\. Agnia  
12\. Ekaterina  
13\. Lyudmila  
14\. Tatianna  
15\. Sonechka  
16\. Yasemin  
17\. Sasha  
18\. Nina  
19\. Nadenka  
20\. Mara  
21\. Aleandra  
22\. Doroteya  
23\. Viveca  
24\. Yana  
25\. Katerina  
26\. Tamara  
27\. Zsofia  
28\. Svetlana

Acrobatics  
1\. Natalia  
2\. Darya  
3\. Mara  
4\. Viveca  
5\. Anya  
6\. Sasha  
7\. Anastasia  
8\. Yasemin  
9\. Eva  
10\. Agnia  
11\. Doroteya  
12\. Nadenka  
13\. Nina  
14\. Marianna  
15\. Vtadlena  
16\. Katerina  
17\. Ying  
18\. Svetlana  
19\. Ekaterina  
20\. Lyudmila  
21\. Tamara  
22\. Aleandra  
23\. Lara  
24\. Tatianna  
25\. Yana  
26\. Tanya  
27\. Sonechka  
28\. Zsofia

Ballet  
1\. Natalia  
2\. Aleandra  
3\. Zsofia   
4\. Tamara  
5\. Lyudmila  
6\. Marianna  
7\. Nadenka  
8\. Katerina  
9\. Sonechka  
10\. Yana  
11\. Mara  
12\. Tanya  
13\. Yasemin  
14\. Anastasia  
15\. Nina  
16\. Doroteya  
17\. Sasha  
18\. Darya  
19\. Anya  
20\. Agnia  
21\. Svetlana  
22\. Ekaterina  
23\. Viveca  
24\. Ying  
25\. Lara  
26\. Vtadlena  
27\. Eva  
28\. Tatianna

Field Training  
1\. Natalia  
2\. Darya  
3\. Mara  
4\. Viveca  
5\. Anya  
6\. Sasha  
7\. Anastasia  
8\. Yasemin  
9\. Eva  
10\. Agnia  
11\. Doroteya  
12\. Nadenka  
13\. Nina  
14\. Marianna  
15\. Vtadlena  
16\. Katerina  
17\. Ying  
18\. Svetlana  
19\. Ekaterina  
20\. Lyudmila  
21\. Tamara  
22\. Aleandra  
23\. Lara  
24\. Tatianna  
25\. Yana  
26\. Tanya  
27\. Sonechka  
28\. Zsofia

History/Government/Politics  
1\. Yana  
2\. Anastasia  
3\. Natalia  
4\. Sasha  
5\. Marianna  
6\. Doroteya  
7\. Mara  
8\. Tanya  
9\. Agnia  
10\. Darya  
11\. Nadenka  
12\. Ekaterina  
13\. Katerina  
14\. Eva  
15\. Tatianna  
16\. Zsofia  
17\. Yasemin  
18\. Svetlana  
19\. Aleandra  
20\. Anya  
21\. Sonechka  
22\. Nina  
23\. Lara  
24\. Vtadlena  
25\. Lyudmila  
26\. Ying  
27\. Tamara  
28\. Viveva

Overall Score  
1\. Natalia - 15  
2\. Darya - 83  
3\. Anya - 84  
4\. Agnia - 91  
5\. Sasha - 99  
6\. Anastasia - 101  
7\. Eva - 102  
8\. Mara - 102  
9\. Yasemin - 116  
10\. Marianna - 127  
11\. Viveca - 135  
12\. Ekaterina - 140  
13\. Ying - 143  
14\. Doroteya - 156  
15\. Tanya - 163  
16\. Nadenka - 164  
17\. Lyudmila - 167  
18\. Yana - 171  
19\. Aleandra -175  
20\. Vtadlena - 176  
21\. Nina - 178  
22\. Katerina - 182  
23\. Tamara - 187  
24\. Sonechka - 190  
25\. Lara - 196  
26\. Zsofia - 203  
27\. Tatianna - 206  
28\. Svetlana - 213

The girls crowded around the door to look at the results, they poured over the pages, complaining about a low score or celebrating a high score. These pages showed the girls what they need to work on. Natalia was annoyed she didn’t have the highest score in all the categories, but looking at the last page she was more than pleased. All the previous places where added up and the lower number meant a higher place. Natalia had the lowest number of all the girls 15, the next highest score by Darya was 83. There was a glaring big difference and all the girls knew it. 

“Only fourth, I swear I could’ve done better,” Agnia complained.

“Quit complaining,” Aleandra said, “I got 19th, that really bad.”

“Why is it bad, is 6 bad,” Anastasia asked.

“The higher the number the more the chance is you aren’t graduating,” Zsofia said nervously, “I don’t think I will be graduating.”

“Sure you will,” Ying siad.

“Aren’t you like a genius?” Yasemin asked.

“Genius doesn’t mean anything clearly, beside you got 9th. I am stuck at 13th,” Ying wailed.

The various girls complained about there scores. Agnia who was immaculate and a perfectionist was displeased with 4th. Aleandra didn’t seems to understand the system, but Natalia thought should have done better Aleandra was brave, strong, and a true loyalist. Anastasia got 6th, and as usual, she was quiet, obident, and calm. Anastasia was never phased by anything. She was always quiet and composed. The trainer love that, the level headed girls was a favorite among several peoaple. Anya was good, she picked up things quickly and never complained too much, but she also act like a child (which she was). In the Red Room acting like a child didn’t put you in favor, but many thought she would grow out of it and become a great agent. Doroteya was beautiful. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires and her hair shone like rubies. Doroteya was okay, she was gorgeous, but that didn’t get you far in the Red Room. Doroteya thought it did, she thought the KGB would value her beauty. Ekaterina was good, but got rattled easily. She was quick to pick up thing and obedient, but she was a terrified. She lacked any confidence, and only performed well out of fear of the trainers, making her very skittish. Eva was full of life. She was lively and seemed almost like a normal girl, despite this she could clearly perform well giving her 7th place. Katerina was innocent. She believe the world was good and she one day would be a ballerina. She didn’t pick up the true intensions of the red room, Natalia didn’t think she would last. Lara was the most happiest, cheerful person she’d ever met. She was like Katerina in her view of life. She was gullible and not very intelligent, but her personality could make even the trainers smile. Although smiling doesn’t get you far. Lyudmila despite not being great, could get people to like. She understood people better than any of the other girls. She didn’t even realize it. She could subconsciously read people and would react based on that. Mara was bitter and jealous. She was furious for getting 8th and was always out for blood. She thought she should be the best and looked down on everyone else. Marianna was rebellious. The trainers hated her, she questioned everything and defied order. She probably should a place higher, but her defiance in everything cause her to perform lower. Nadenka was very optimist and hopeful. She thought there was a way out. Like one day they would let her go. They would never let any of the girls go. Nina was strong. She was stronger than the other girls both physically and mentally. She could punch threw anything and withstand interrogation. Beside that she had no other talent present. Although the trainers were pushing her to become better. Sasha was good she was like Aleandra in she was brave, strong, and a true loyalist, but unlike Aleandra she worked hard. She was the model student in the Red Room. Sonechka was very wise and intuitive. She was skilled but she was also very mature. She was slower than the other girls, but seemed to have a better grasp on things. She had a better grasp of how the world worked. Svetlana was luminescent. She shone in any room. She immediately caught the attention of anyone, but she proved not able to hold the attention. She was bold and outgoing eager to prove herself. Tamara was beautiful, but unlike Doroteya, she had a lot of natural beauty. She was probably the prettiest girl. She could wake up and look perfect. Tatianna was washed away by the presence of the girls. She was quiet and among the other girls, her presence was barely noted. Darya was energetic, she was good, but all over the place. She has an endless stream of energy and was the most flexible person Natasha had every seen. She was also very thin and tall. Darya was a girl to envy. Viveca was good at sparring against any opponent she could usually emerge victor. Her hair and skin were so light she blended in the snow. Vtadlana, expected to be good without hard work. She thought that one day she would wake up and achieve perfection. Yana was smart, she was bright. She was also very passionate, but usually prey to the others girls, especially Mara. Yasemin was small, she was very naturally talented. She was great. Ying was smart, probably the smartest there was. She could solve any problem with easy. Unlike the other girls, Ying was not from Russia. She was originally from China. Zsofia was full of life. She also lagged behind all the other girls. She had trouble keeping up and wouldn’t be here much longer.

Natalia was pleased with her score, but vowed to better next year. She wanted first in every place. 

“Oh, look, what did Natalia do this time? Cheat her way to the top,” Mara jeered.

“Shut up,” Darya said, “Your voice gives me a headache.”

Natalia gave Darya a grateful look, not wanting to cause a commotion. She went in her room to go get dressed and ready for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry about the boring chapter. Comment below your predictions for the future chapters. Which girls do you want to explore more? Which relationships do you want to see Natasha form?


	8. the red stain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The red starts to stain her ledger.

It was half way through the 3rd year. It was 6 a.m. and the girls were in martial art/combat training. The girls were paired up in partners. The partners were chosen at random usually. Some days Madame were pair a weaker girls with a stronger girl, so the weaker one could improve. Other days she paired people up with a similar level, so the girls could push themselves more. 

Natalia today was sparring with Darya. Darya was probably on of the only girls Natalia liked. Darya was second to her and good. But unlike the other girls, Darya was mean to her or ignored her. Darya wanted to learn from Natalia and was determined to get better. Natalia could beat Darya, but it would take some effort. 

“Girls lined up against the wall,” Madame B yelled. All the girls lined up against the wall in alphabetical order. 

“Zsofia, come here.” Zsofia stepped forward terrified. She thought she was going to be beat. Madame pointed at one side of the Matt indicating that Zsofia should stand there. “Natalia, come here.” Madame said pointing at the other side of the Matt. 

“When I saw go, I want you girls to sparr. Don’t stop until one of you is a clear victor.” Natalia stood getting ready. What did Madame mean by a clear victor. “Go.”

Zsofia rushed forward trying to get to Natalia. This was a mistake. Natalia moved aside and grabbed her arm pinning it down. Zsofia yelled, and swung around, kick Natalia. Natalia stepped back regaining her stance. She ducked low, and grabbed Zsofia’s leg swing her to the ground. Zsofia hit the floor and rolled over trying to get up. Natalia got her in a chokehold and waited for Madame to announce her a winner. 

“Madame…” Natalia started.

“Finish the job Natalia.” Madame said. Natalia panicked. Madame wanted her to kill Zsofia. Zsofia panicked and struggled. Natalia faltered for a moment releasing her grasp, slightly. This was enough for Zsofia to escape her grasp. Natalia was struggling not with overpowering Zsofia, but killing her. Her moved were sloppier. Natalia pulled herself together and return back to her precise movements. Getting Zsofia in another chokehold, she close her eyes, counted to 3, and snapped her neck. She open and stepped off the matt horrified. Her eyes couldn’t leave Zsofia’s lifeless body. She was shaking uncontrollably. She was struggling to keep the tearing in. The other girls, look horrified. Madame seemed happy, very please. 

“Great job, Natalia, girls take note. Natalia did excellent work today,” Madame said. Natalia looked a Madame B with disgust. Excellent work? No, she was a monster. Zsofia laid there. Her dark hair framing her face, her lifeless blue eyes starring at her. Natalia was going to throw up. 

The trainers had decided Zsofia was a lost cause. They had no desire to train her further and felt she wouldn’t get better. So, they wanted her gone. They felt they were wasting there time and resources on her. That’s how it went. When the Red Room felt you were no longer useful and your promise disappear, they would eliminate you. Zsofia death encourage the girls to work harder. No more fun. All the girls would train all the time. No more reading for fun, or telling funny stories. No more playing make believe. There girls finally realized what kind of environment they were living in. 

The day continued on as though nothing happen, but when the girls returned to their beds, a bed remained empty. Everything from the bed was removed, gone. It is like Zsofia never existed. She has no funeral. No family. No one to mourn her. She just disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's first kill. What do you think? Should I be more descriptive? Do you want to better get to know the girls before they die or is this good? I think Madame B sees Natasha is a prize pupil and wants to test her, don't worry Natasha is going to eliminate all the girls. Also I am probably going to mention all the girls death. Natasha's seems to carry a lot of guilt in the movies and probably thinks the girls deserved to be remembered.
> 
> The next chapter is going to be Natasha's first mission, so get excited.


	9. mission accomplished?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha goes on her first mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the stuff, in the chapter is base on Moscow and the KGB in the Cold War, but I don't know if something like this event actual happened.

“Natalia, come with me.” Madame said a few months later. Natalia stopped her training and followed Madame into her office. “Natalia, you do know the reason your here, at the Red Room,” Madame paused. Natalia nodded her head. “You are a weapon of the Soviet Union. You will carry out missions for your country.” Natalia nodded her head again. “Tomorrow, you will skip your training. You will be leaving the Red Room to prepare for your first mission. Melina will be going with you.” Natalia nodded. She had never gone on a mission. She had never even done a practice mission. The older girls would do practice missions in the streets of Moscow to prepare for real missions and build skills, but her class wouldn’t start that until next year. Natalia couldn’t even remember leaving the Red Room. “Go back to training. Ivan, your handler, will pick you and Melina up at 8 p.m.” Natalia nodded and left.

“What was that about?” Darya asked.

“I am getting my first mission,” Natalia whispered. 

“Really!” Darya whispered back, “Congratulation, you are going to great.”

“Thanks,” Natalia whispered in return.

Natalia and Daria were beginning to pick up some sort of friendship. They weren’t friends, they were friendly. Friend just lead to heartbreak later, friendly seemed like a good place to be. For the rest of the day Natalia went at her lessons with more vigor than usual. She wanted to be prepared for her mission. At 8 o’clock she was ready. She went to the entrance where she was greeted by Melina. Melina’s private lessons with her had stopped at the beginning of this year. Melina was now in year 9 (12 years old). Melina was the best in her year and was proving to be a good agent. 

“Hello, Natalia,” Melina smiled.

“Hello,” Natalia replied.

“Are you excited for your first mission?” Melina asked

“I am very nervous,” Natalia said.

“Don’t be, I saw your exams scores you’ll do great.” Melina assured her.

“Thanks,” Natalia said.

“Come here,” Melina said pulling her into a hug. The hug was short, careful not to get caught. Natalia had start to see Melina as an older sister.

“Natalia don’t slouch,” Melina scolded, “Your going to get a back hunch.”

Natalia straightened her back, laughing in her head. Ivan walked in looking at the girls. “Melina? Natalia?”

“Yes,” They replied together.

“Come on, we have a mission to complete.”

Both girls nodded silently and followed him to his truck. The drive was silent. They were taught to avoid small talk. When they arrive at the KGB headquarters, Natalia marveled at how normal it looked. They followed Ivan inside into his office, she presumed. 

“Both of you should be aware how important protecting Moscow is. For many reason, most importantly all the information of the Soviet Union passed through there. The Americans like to send there little spies to Moscow. Recently it seems like we have a leak high up. The Americans have developed this system called the ‘Moscow Rules’. Your missions is to pose as young school girls and eliminate the traitor. You will be operating the mission from a warehouse in Moscow, I will be accompanying you. No one will suspect young girls to be spying on them, so this will be perfect. Understood?”

Both girls nodded there head. 

“Once the traitor has been found you slit his throat and the CIA officer. I want it done discreetly and to appear to random, not associated with the KGB. Got it?”

“Yes,” the girls said simultaneously. 

“Perfect,” he replied with a sinister grin, “Here is the case file, memorize it. As soon as you feel ready I want you to begin working. This is of the highest priority and should be carried out as quickly as possible.”

Natalia poured over the file. She read about the people located in the US embassy. The KGB tailed everyone, secretaries, officers, anyone. They has detailed reports on their daily lives. Where they went, who they saw, all their patterns. But the tails were discrete. The American knew they were being followed and could slip away for a few seconds. A few seconds was enough to pass information or access of drop. Natalia and Melina would need to find the mostly likely candidates and follow them more discreetly than the usual tail. Everything they did would need to be scrutinized. Every angle would need to be looked at. 

Natalia memorize the information and a map of Moscow. She made of mental list of the most likely candidates. The list wasn’t short, but in a few hours she could maybe determine who it might be. 

Melina and her decided to divide and conqueror. Split up the list and cross of candidates before scrutinizing over their actions.

Natasha dressed as a young school girl and headed into the streeted of Moscow to eliminate the traitor.

—————————————————————————————

Hours later, she had crossed off several people on her list. Every time she went to cross some one off, she second guessed herself. What if they were the traitor? But the list had to be shorten, and she had to go with her gut feeling. After wandering the streets for hours and watching the building and the tailing people, she headed back to the warehouse for a few hours of rest and a meal. 

When she arrived at the warehouse, it appear Melina had already been there. There were some paper in code of Melina research and a list of people she had eliminated as possible suspects. Natalia was tired and this method was no longer working, so she decided to go over the information that was stolen. 

The information appeared to be a bunch of high up Military information. The leaked didn’t start until seven months ago. So Natalia decide to look at high up official that arrive in Moscow within the last seven months. This list was long, but after further studying and dissecting the information, she concluded it could only be nine people. 

By this point she had already spent a day on the street tailing people. A few hours resting and eats. A two days scanning over the information and narrowing people down. 

It about the time that Natalia was going to tail the 9 people she had concluded were the leak, Melina arrived.

“Have you shorten you list?” Melina asked.

“Yeah, a little bit,” Natalia said.

“A little bit?” Melina said picking up Natalia’s list, “What have you been doing for the last three days, while I have been working!?!”

“I was going over the information,” Natalia meekly said.

“We already went over the information, go outside and shorten your list,” Melina said sternly.

Natalia nodded her head. She thought about telling Melina of her new angle, but didn’t was to further agitate Melina. Melina probably knew best since she was older and had been on more missions, but Natalia thought this way would be easier and more efficient. She grabbed a jacket and a backpack and head back onto the streets.

After several more hours she could she any abnormalities within her tails. Everything they did seemed to be shady, so It was hard to see who it might be. Finally when she was watching, General Alexander Gorokhov, she finally saw something that caught her attention. 

General Gorokhov was on his way home when he stopped in the middle of the side walk like he was trying the remember something. He stopped and scanned the building like her was trying the remember a location. After several minutes of scanning the building he went over the a staircase a looked at it. He went up to the seventh stair and look around to she if he was being watched. When he saw that he didn’t appear to be watched, he lifted up the stair and placed a pen in that spot. He then turned to leave. 

Natalia followed him as he weaved through the streets. When the General went through a narrow seclude street, Natalia pulled out her knife and hid it in her sleve. She then called out to the General, “Sir! Sir! Can you help me I am lost.”

The general looked to her noticing her for the first time. He walked closer to her and Natalia started to cry. 

“What is wrong? Little one,” He asked. He was still too far away Natalia thought. If she tried to kill him now her can stop and block her. She was so much smaller than him, so she needed the element of surprise.

“I am lost,” Natalia wailed, “I don’t know where my mother is.”

“Come here,” He said gesturing for her to come, “Let go to the police and find you mother.”

Bingo, she thought. She stepped closer. When she was right in front of him, she pulled out her knife and slit his throat. He eyes grew big as he realized what she did. She stepped back careful to avoid the blood and wipe the knife off. He grabbed his neck and fell to the ground gurgling. After a few second he was dead.

Natalia turned to go back to the dead drop and wait for the item to be picked up. She sat on the seventh stair and stared out at the street. In the hours she waited she saw so many people passing. Children playing in the street, people rushing off to work, young adults celebrating, and for the first time she wanted a normal life. She has completely forgotten what a normal life was. To have choices. She could chose to play in the street, and chose what she wanted to eat. She could have likes and dislikes. This gave her a wave of sadness and she stared down at the street. 

Not long after, a women, who looked like a secretary came down the street. She was clearly American based on the way she dressed and her hair. Natalia got up and ran to the top of the stairs and hid. She watch as the women, looked around. The street was busy now so she could easily slip away from her tail for a few seconds. She walked down the street and suddenly turned into the stairs. Her tails most likely would have missed that. She then went to to seventh stair, lifted it, and grabbed the pen. This was all the confirmation Natalia needed. She quietly got out of her hiding place, and jumped onto the women. She pulled out the knife a slit her throat. The women dropped the pen and fell down the stairs onto the street. Blood filled up to street and people were panicking. Quickly Natalia grabbed the pen and ducked out of there. When she was leaving, she saw the KGB agents that were tailing her running up and calling and ambulance. The agents probably had no idea that Natalia was suppose to kill her and were trying to save her to not cause and international incident. The efforts were useless because the women was already dead.

———————————————————————————

Natalia ran back to the warehouse, as quickly as she could. When she arrive no one was there. She pick up the phone and dialed the number signifying she was done with the mission. 

“Is the mission complete?”

“Yes”

“Return with Melina now to the headquarters”

“Yes,” Natalia said and hung up. She decided to eat while she waited for Melina. Melina came shortly after, looking tired.

“Did you know one of the American Secretaries was murdered. There was a whole fuss at the embassy. “ Melina said.

“Yes, I know. I killed her,” Natalia replied.

Melina froze, “Was she communicating with the traitor.”

“Yes, General Alexander Gorokhov, I eliminated them both.”

“Is the mission done?”

“Yes, we are to return immediately.”

Melina nodded her head and smiled, “Great work. Everyone will be impressed when they hear what you have done. You didn’t even need me.”

“You can take some of the credit,” Natalia offered.

“I don’t need it. I have as long as the missions completed they will be happy. I have a list of successful missions to prove my worth.” Melina pulled Natalia into a hug and then they started off to the ‘headquarters.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what does everyone think? I tried to use some of what actually happened in Moscow in the chapter. During the Cold War the KGB had 50,000 agents within Moscow, to keep an eyes on its citizens and the foreigners. So Natasha having her first mission in Moscow can be realistic.


	10. praise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's get mission debriefed and returns to the Red Room

Natalia and Melina hurried through the streets to the "headquarters". When they arrive they are given a quick nod by the security as they enter. They are quickly debriefed by the other agents. Natalia tells them everything she can think of, she has no idea what Melina is saying, so she just sticks with the truth. After several hours of going through the information, they are dismissed and driven back to the Red Room. The drive is relatively short, they arrive soon after. Both girls quickly hop out of the car and hurry inside. Natalia runs quickly, unsure of what to do. Melina gestures for her to follow her to Madame B's office. Melina softly knocked on the door.

"Come in," Madame B says. Both girls enter. "Leave Natalia. I want to speak to Melina, wait outside." Natalia nods her head and exits the room. She stands outside waiting for Madame B. Still unsure of what Melina said about the mission, she doesn't know whether Madame B with be upset or pleased. She is too nervous to try bother listening to Melina and Madame B's conversation. After a few minutes Melina exit, emotionless. 

"You can go in," Melina tells Natalia. Natalia nods quickly and enter. She walks towards Madame B's desk and stand infant of it. Madame B's continues working for several minutes. Natalia knows she is aware of her presence, but choosing to ignore her. Her heart drops. Is she going to be in trouble. Madame B wants to remind Natalia that she is unimportant, she was nothing before the Red Room and nothing without the Red Room.

Madame B after several moments feels Natalia has understood her point and begins to talk, "One achievement doesn't mean you can slack off. I expect better. I want to perfection. I demand perfection. Remember you have no place in the world. Repeat it."

"I have no place in the world," Natalia echos. Madame B stays silent for several moments letting the words sink in. Natalia thinks about the words. She wonders why she seems like she being punished for doing a good job. _I have no place in the world_. Natalia doesn't. She has no friends, no family, no home, no money, nothing. Nobody outside the Red Room ever gives her a thought. No one remembers she even existed. She is like a ghost. She simply doesn't exist. If she were to die, no one would mourn her. No one would care. No one would remember her. Her blood would just add to the red, that stains the Red Room. She stares at Madame B with stone cold eyes. She is upset, upset at everything. 

"Natalia, you are a weapon for the Soviet Union. You don't can't as a person. You are not a person. You are property of the Soviet Union. This great country is investing its time and money into, you cannot fail. You won't fail. Correct?"

"Yes, Madame," Natalia says.

"Good. You did a good job on your mission. Everyone was pleased. Your success is a model of what other girls in your year should strive for. The KGB expects greatness from you. It is not misplaced is it?"

"No, Madame," Natalia replies.

"Good. Leave, go to bed."

Natalia nods quickly and scurries away. She dashes quickly up the stair to her room. She wastes no time getting red for beds and is handcuffed to her bed five minutes later. She knows she should be getting rest, but her mind is still processing the events of the last few days and of who she is as a person. She isn't a person she remind her self. No she is a weapon. She is a weapon for the KGB, for the Soviet Union. 

\-----------------------------------

The next morning all the girls are surprised Natalia is back. When you disappear in the Red Room you don't usually reappear. Natalia is exhausted as she drags her feet as she gets dressed. She doesn't want to go to her classes today. She wants to be a six year old girl today, but if she told Madame B that, Madame B would kill her (quite literally). So instead she just pushes through the morning trying to keep her head up. The other girls are attempting to try and ask how the day went, but Natalia just brushes all of them off. The girls get the hint and leave her alone. When the girls arrive in practical lessons Madame B is standing there waiting for them. Madame B, doesn't usually teach, they have other trainers teach the girls usually. Madame B usually just observes or teaches important lessons. The girls are all curious as to why Madame B is there. 

"Hurry up girls," Madame B says as she ushers all the girls in. They all file in sitting at the desks. All the desk are filled except one. Zsofia's desk, which stays empty, reminding all the girls what failure means. 

"Girls, recently Natalia has complete a mission for the KGB. She completed it successful, because of this many of you can expect to be receiving missions in the future. If you would like a mission you need to be performing well in all of you class. If you are not doing well, you will not be given a mission. Failure is not tolerate in the Red Room. Now you may resume to your normal lessons." 

All the girls are buzzing with excitement. "We can leave the Red Room!" Sasha murmured.

"Going on missions seems so glamorous," Viveca equaled.

Over the next few weeks several of the girls got missions. Darya got a mission where she got to travel to Europe to pose as a diplomats daughter. Most of the girls were envious as she told the stories of her mission. The other girls thought they would be getting missions like that and worked harder trying to gain a mission. Next Eva got a mission, but it was just a surveillance mission in Stalingrad. Sasha and Yasmin got a mission together, but this was just a mission in Siberia to collect information. Viveca, Anastasia, Anya, and Mara got a mission to posed as school children and target a traitors son and kill him and Agnia got another surveillance mission in Moscow. 

Ying had been really hoping for a mission. She was the best at any Academic thing, but lacking in the physical stuff. She wasn't bad, she was just okay. After some time the trainers and Madame B concluded that Ying should join the 'Science Class'. The science class was not located in the Red Room. It was a separate training facility in Siberia. The most of the best and brightest minds of the Soviet Union came from there. These people kept the Soviet Union update in advance technology. 

All the girls started to improve. Natalia had no been given a second mission yet. She was frustrated. She was suppose to be the best. Granted non of the other girls had gotten a second mission, but Natasha was supposed to be better than them. The trainer were starting to become tense. There were whispered about the dissolve of the Soviet Union. The next mission came a few months later and this time Natalia was accompanied by several of her classmates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who is excited to find out the next mission?


End file.
